Calculating the Speed of a Spinning Wheel for Engineering Students

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    Speed Spinning Wheel
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the speed of a spinning wheel, focusing on the application of forces, torque, and moment of inertia. Participants explore various aspects of the problem, including theoretical and practical considerations relevant to engineering students.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks how to calculate the speed of a spinning wheel using forces and other necessary parameters.
  • Another participant inquires about calculating linear speed for objects in straight motion, suggesting a need for more context.
  • A participant presents a specific scenario involving a roulette wheel and seeks to understand the calculation of its spinning speed when spun by hand.
  • It is suggested that to calculate the speed, one needs to consider the force applied, the point of application for torque, the duration of force application, and the moment of inertia of the wheel.
  • A request is made for an example to clarify the calculations, noting variations in physics terminology in different regions.
  • A participant explains that the speed of a wheel can be described in terms of its angular inertia and angular momentum, relating linear speed to angular speed and radius.
  • Equations are presented to relate torque, force, lever arm length, acceleration, and moment of inertia, with a caveat that more specific information is needed for real-world applications.
  • Concerns are raised about the irregular geometry of a roulette wheel complicating the calculation of its moment of inertia.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding and approaches to the problem, with no consensus reached on a specific method or example for calculating the speed of a spinning wheel.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the need for specific details regarding the problem setup, including the moment of inertia of the roulette wheel, which remains unresolved. The discussion highlights the complexity of applying theoretical concepts to practical scenarios.

IniX
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How would I calculate the speed of a spinning wheel (using forces in Newton and anything else required)?
 
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How would you calculate the linear speed of an object moving in a straight line?

(seriously, we need more details about where you're starting from!)
 
Take a roulette wheel. How would you calculate the speed of the spinning when the roulette wheel is spinned from the middle (by hand)?
 
You need the force, the point at which the force is applied (to get the torque), the duration for which the force is applied and the moment of inertia of the wheel.
 
Could you please give me an example?
Physics in The Netherlands have a couple of different declarations, but I'll figure it out with an example of your explanation.
 
The "speed" of a wheel is it's rate of rotation. The angular inertia depends on the distribution of mass around the center of rotation. Angular momentum is the angular rate of rotation (angular speed) times the angular inertia. If you want to know how fast the wheels perimeter is moving linearly, it's the angular speed in radians per second times the radius.
 
T=f*L
s=a*t
a=T*I
So...
s=f*L*I*t

f=force
L=lever arm length
a=acceleration
s=speed
T=torque
t=time
I=moment of inertia

If i were setting up a problem for a first year engineering student to solve, it would require those equations (it may also include the appropriate equation for moment of inertia). But if you're actually interested in a real world situation, then this is probably nowhere near specific enough to help you. But without more information about the problem you are trying to solve, there isn't much we can do. For example, I have no idea what the moment of inertia of a roulette wheel is and no way to solve for it because the geometry of the wheel is irregular.
 

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